Surrender : The Heart that God Controls

Yesterday I began a new book called, "Surrender, The Heart that God Controls", by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. She also authored, "Lies Women Believe" and several others - but I'm only familiar with the one. Today's chapter was about "The battle for Control". {ouch}

My MIL gave me this book in my stocking this year for Christmas. I was eager to dive in because....um, well, I battle with control type things...more often then I care to admit to. :) There I said it! Now, I'm sure my MIL doesn't think that about me or even know that - unless I had confided it to her at some point. Nonetheless, I was thrilled to recieve it and I'm so looking forward to seeing from God's word ways to grow. God knows what we NEED to read, doesn't he!?

In this chapter we looked at Psalm 104 and the very obvious description of how God is in control of all creation. Nancy pointed out, "Psalm 104 describes the original, ideal state." Meaning, we were made to be in "control" by God. She made a great point that for us, for Adam and Eve in the very beginning, "surrender was - and still is - the source and means of true freedom and fullness." It was only after Adam and Eve believed the lie that THEY could control themselves and their own world...that things just fell apart and instead of controlling their lives, they were now controlled. Things they thought they could rule over became tyrants to them.
She had several other great thoughts throughout the chapter -

"To surrender to the Creator's control is not onerous or burdensome; it is, in fact, the place of blessing, fullness, and peace." And... in reaction to God's view of the collective "US" after the fall of Adam and Eve, "Possessing absolute power, He could have chosen to bludgeon His rebellious creatures into submission. However, because He desires a loving, personal relationship with men and women, created in His likeness, He has opted first to WOO and WIN the hearts of His creatures. He wants their willing, volitional surrender." I read that line several times and just felt such a sense of thankfulness for my personal, loving God. I needed to be reminded of that this morning. God isn't sitting by waiting for me to fail - but rather, loving me and even wooing me.

Today, I'm just feeling so grateful that sin doesn't control me. That I have freedom in Christ and my surrender to Him is GLAD! I'm thankful for a God who I don't control - I didn't make Him and I don't fully understand Him...He is mysterious and bigger then myself.

"God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of Heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things." Acts 17:24-25